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2010-11-25 - The Mysterious and Dangerous Magic Box
Ever since Elizraim's new friend the violin came home to stay, the family has been serenaded by quite beautiful music. Admittedly, sometimes this serenading came when they were perhaps trying to do other things, such as sleep, but that's the price of giving a royal who only sleeps two hours a night something that interests em and that makes some noise. To eir credit, once it was explained to em, Elizraim did quiet down (after complaining a bit about the complainer). But today, the disturbance is a bit different. "William Senior!" Elizraim calls, rapidly approaching the door to the study. And, without waiting for a reply, whipping it open. "Come at once--I have need of your assistance." Brief pause. "Please." The child--who is dressed in the garb ey arrived in, rather than eir modern human garb--appears a little shaken, and eir wings are out. One may find that William is hard to disturb when he's decided to tune out the world around him. However, he looks up once his name is called, and when his door is whipped open he stands and makes his way around the desk to where Elizraim is. "What's wrong?" he asks, casting his senses about for any possible sign of danger. He notes, in the back of his mind, that while the child remains demanding, at least ey seems to be internalizing the use of the term "please." There's no sign of danger, but Elizraim is shaking a bit. Ey points towards the living room. "A strange sorcerer appeared in the box, and spoke of things unknown to me. Such was his rage that I fear he shall become violent...yet I feel nothing. He must be of great power..." William offers a small, thin smile at this, nodding, and says, "Ah, yes. I believe I know what you mean. Fortunately, I do not believe it's a threat." He then heads toward the living room, seeking out the likely source of Elizraim's concern. And it's pretty much what he probably expected. The television was turned on, and is tuned to a suspense movie. The killer--who must have been the "sorcerer" Elizraim saw--is stalking the heroine with a knife. The remote lies on the floor, having fallen off the table. "You see? He will harm the innocent! We must save that person, but I know not how to travel in such manner!" Elizraim holds out eir hand, and eir bracelet shifts, morphing swiftly into a golden spear with a black onyx blade. William extends his hand, and the remote rises and moves smoothly through the air into his grasp. "What you are seeing here is a recording, images and sound that have been stored via technology and then sent to the television -- that is what this box device is called -- so that we can see it. These images were captured some time ago." Elizraim frowns, still clutching the spear like ey's ready to charge. "A...recording. Some time ago...then...this is..." The frown deepens. "Then...this box, this tel-e-vision, contains a spirit which can show its memories? I sensed no spirit...but perhaps shielded..." Ey thinks for a moment. "Then it is showing the past. That person must be arrested at once!" "It doesn't use a spirit," William explains. "It runs off of an energy source called electricity, using various complex mechanisms. There are no spirits directly involved." Then, at the declaration that the man must be arrested, William gives a slow shake of his head. "This particular recording is not factual. Rather, it is a dramatic performance designed to entertain the viewer by creating a sense of tension or fear. There are those who enjoy such diversions. However, no one was actually harmed. It's merely a work of fiction." Elizraim looks rather mystified by all of that, and takes a couple steps back from the clearly exceedingly dangerous device. "So...so...it is a play. My parents frequently held such performances at the palace...but none appeared so real!" A few moments, and ey lets the spear flow back into bracelet form on eir arm. "I do not like this television. Stop it at once. Please." William taps the "power" button, causing the television screen to wink out back to its usual darkness. "I find that I do not enjoy it, either," he admits. "It is a poor use of time, and it is often simply... foolishness." He gives a nod, though. "But yes, it has the same general principles to it as a stage play. The difference is that they are able to do things to make it look more realistic." Elizraim dislikes it more because ey's secretly wondering what kind of harm the strange powers in the box could do to em, actually, not because it is a waste of time, but... Ey looks much more at ease when the television is turned off. "Then this wand controls the television," ey says, approaching. "It fell when I by chance struck the table...this caused the awakening. I shall seek to avoid this wand in the future." "A good plan," William agrees, sending the remote over to sit atop the entertainment center beside the television. "There is nothing to fear from the television, however. It has no power to harm you unless you come into direct contact with the electricity inside it." He moves over to the wall and points to where the television cord plugs in. "This is an electrical outlet. It is best not to touch them, as they are capable of emitting large amounts of electricity." Elizraim folds eir arms, nodding sagely. "As I thought, the mortals harnessed a dangerous energy, better left alone. Such idiocy." Ey shakes his head. "Fear not--I have no desire to use this electricity...I will keep distant." Arching an eyebrow, William allows himself another small smile. "Electricity is dangerous, yes, but it is far less so when one is aware of how it should be used. I, for example, often design and build electronic devices. I have never been harmed by it." Elizraim tenses a bit, and eir hair and eyes glow slightly brighter for a moment, but ey bites back whatever ey was originally going to say. "It is...perhaps possible...that a person showing proper caution would go unharmed...but surely, only an expert such as yourself?" Ey gestures at the window. "Do you honestly tell me that all those mortals are able to make use of such a fearsome power without danger?" "Not all," William concedes. "Children, for example, or those who have not yet learned of its dangers, should not make use of it. However, most people are able to use it when someone -- like myself, I suppose -- designs it properly to be safe for most people to use. Other applications of electricity, of course, are unsafe for those who aren't experts." Elizraim frowns. "So...you attempt to harness it safely." Ey looks at his bracelet. "This is...similar to my spear, then." Ey looks at William. "I still question the wisdom of this path, however, William Senior. However, I accept that you are at least proceeding using some intelligence." The corner of William's mouth twitches faintly toward the shape of a grin, but his expression remains otherwise placid. "We do our best. Some, of course, use more intelligence than others." He pauses, then adds, "By the way, simply calling me 'William' suffices. We seldom use honorifics such as 'senior' in our everyday speech." Elizraim thinks about that for a few moments, and then nods. "William. And your child prefers 'Will'. I shall still be able to tell the difference, and thus I find this acceptable." Eir wings slowly shrink, returning to their usual size, and the tunic covers them once more. "I must give my apologies for drawing a weapon within your home. I meant no insult. I believed danger was imminent." It's rare, but ey can apologize sometimes. Nodding, William says, "Acting in defense of yourself is acceptable and reasonable. However, I suggest caution. There are many things in this world that are yet foreign to you, and I would prefer that no one be endangered needlessly." He gestures down the hall toward the library. "I do suggest that you begin familiarizing yourself with the writings we have available on technology. Perhaps that would help you to better understand it." Elizraim hmphs. "Of course it is. If you were to suggest it was not so, I should doubt your sanity." Ey looks in the direction William gestured, and looks uncertain. "I do not truly wish to learn more of this...however...perhaps a small amount. It is best to know the danger, and it is my goal--unfortunately--to appear a mortal." "Sometimes, what seems obvious is less so to others," William responds evenly, though he doesn't seem terribly bothered. "As to learning of what you don't care to know, think of it as being informed about potential dangers." He nods to the mention of the goal. "Regardless, I do believe it will help you achieve your goal of passing for a mortal." "Yes...if I am to appear mortal, I must know what they know. I will accept your suggestion." Elizraim sits down in a seat, looking up at William. "This land is very different from my own. As you said, there is much that is...foreign to me. The ways of these people are not my ways." Nodding again, William says, "That is something we have in common. When I came here, years ago, I knew nothing of this world or its ways. I too had to learn, and I was fortunate to be able to adapt with relative ease. I am certainly willing to do what I can to ease the transition for others, such as yourself." He glances to another seat, as though considering whether to sit down, but he apparently elects to remain standing. Elizraim frowns. "Yes...I recall the disagreeable Kei mentioning something about your family being all that remained of another land...or some such. I frankly did not care to listen much to his words. So, then...you are not of these mortals, either. Is that truth?" "It is truth, yes," William answers, though his tone hedges slightly toward disapproval. "However, while you might not care for Kei's willingness to speak to you frankly and directly, I do suggest that you not disregard what Kei tells you. For all his manner may be strange, his wisdom may surprise you." "His wisdom would indeed surprise me," Elizraim agrees, though it sounds like it has a different meaning coming from em. "However, though his manner was crude and his threats shallow and unwise, I did not entirely disregard his statements. He informed me of the proper words that mortals use in certain situations, and I have worked to use those words, to show my understanding of manners. Thus, while I doubt his wisdom, his knowledge of basic facts of mortal life is indeed useful." Offering another small smile, William says, "I have found that Kei's wisdom, however unconventional, cannot be ignored." He glances slightly away, almost as though hearing a distant sound, then says, "Now, I hope you'll excuse me -- I do have other things to attend to. If you have any further emergencies, however, please do not hesitate to inform me." He gives a polite nod, then he turns and walks back to his study. Category:Logs